I thought this was going to be better than it was, based on the description. Our main character was annoying and acted immature. It somehow felt both unbelievable and boring at the same time.

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

'Darkly funny and provocative, this edge-of-your-seat thrill ride follows two unlikely fugitives—an SAT tutor who finds her rich employers brutally murdered and the bound woman she frees from their mansion—an irresistible debut novel perfect for fans of The Guest and My Sister, the Serial Killer’

A respectable and thoroughly twisted debut!

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for this arc in exchange for review.

Pub date: 3.18.2025.

Killer Potential is such an interesting book because rather than a typical thriller, it's more about the experience of being on the run and having to live your life in the margins.

Killer Potential opens with an SAT tutor in LA, Evie Gordon, stumbling upon a horrific murder scene at one of her client's homes. She's panicking over what to do, discovers an unknown woman bound under a staircase, and then they flee after they not only seriously injure the student who walks in on the scene and assumes they're the killers, but then her boyfriend walks in and assumes everyone has been killed by Evie and this woman.

The remainder of the book follows Evie and this woman (who we eventually learn is named Jae) as they zigzag across the country in a variety of stolen vehicles trying to outrun law enforcement as what happened at the house in LA is now a major national news story.

The plot was a mix of both Thelma and Louise and Parasite. In the beginning of the book Jae is mute, however when she eventually begins to speak, in conversations with each other Jae and Evie address the vast wealth disparity in LA and the myth that if you do well in school you will do well in life. Both of them ended up as SAT tutors after graduating into a horrific job market and in Jae's case, also having grown up in poverty. The exploitation of immigrants in this country is addressed as well.

They don't just have conversations however, there is action as Evie and Jae descend further into actual criminality as they continue to evade police. The plot takes a sudden turn when the student Evie tutored wakes up and shares the truth about what happened that day Evie found all of them. I was very surprised actually and did not guess what would happen whatsoever as there are red herrings throughout the book as information comes out about the family's hidden life.

The last third of the book dragged a little as it just felt like a summary of what happened to Evie in the aftermath of all this. It also seemed a little fantastical including chapters that are told from Jae's perspective. Without sharing spoilers, the resolution also felt very derivative. That said, it was still intriguing and horrifying to think about as a concept.

This book made me think a lot about what it would actually be like to have to be on the run like this. I appreciated the vivid writing that made me truly feel sympathy for them, particularly Evie.

Many thanks to William Morrow and to NetGalley for this ARC to review. This review is my honest opinion,

I didn’t love this one. The premise was good, but the whole thing felt implausible and somewhat ridiculous. Both main characters were somewhat laughable. First, if a grown and intelligent adult walks in on a murder scene, they wouldn’t taint evidence, leave their DNA, and flee. That started the descent of the book.

I didn’t like Evie and her thought-rambling. Jae’s silence was irritating, and the love affair felt very forced. Their ability to stay on the run for so long with no cash or credit cards could never happen with law enforcement everywhere looking for them. Jae could just come up with everything they needed right when they needed it. I just couldn’t buy any of it. Also, the secret tunnels in the house that no one could find. It just didn’t work unless this is really a story about magic.

Her writing was okay. I feel like another editor should take a look to remove some of the silly metaphors and check for continuity. This book doesn’t feel finished.

I'm not sure how I feel about the ending (although as the book went on, it was harder and harder to imagine a GOOD ending. And I have a LOT of questions about the road trip itself. Sure, time passed and there were time skips, but the characters seem to launch from one side of the country to the other with little or no effort, only to immediately/constantly get in trouble as soon as they reached wherever they were going. There was a lot of bonding time alone on the road that got left on the cutting room floor, and it made the story feel a bit too over-trimmed.

Hooked from the very first line! I enjoyed the relationship between the narrator & her travel companion, how Evie was suspicious of the woman, wondered about her mysterious past & silence, but also trusted her during this insane journey they were on together. I liked the flashback chapters about Evie's past and how she got to the point she's at now. The story was told really well and kept me guessing about what was going to happen next and how it would all get resolved.

This might be one of the top 10 books I’ve read this year! The character development, the pacing, the plot were everything I wanted and more! Thank you Hannah Deitch and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC of Killer Potential.

3.5 a great debut novel! Had me constantly wanting to keep reading. Short chapters and the perfect book length. The middle did get a little long with the repetition, and I did guess the twist, but overall I still really enjoyed it and the end had me hooked!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Killer Potential

Two things:

First, whoa!

Second, this book really makes you think about real life events where the innocent do bizarre things that, typically, innocent people wouldn’t do.

Have you ever been in a situation where one less than desirable move leads to another and then another? Well, Evie walked unknowingly into a situation that quickly turned into a bag of marbles pouring out onto a tile floor, getting away from her quicker than she could ever gather.

Maybe there is such a thing as being too smart?

I found Hannah Deitch’s writing to be captivating and quick-paced, easy to follow, with an engaging perspective.

I will definitely be on the lookout for her next novel!

A murder mystery with tones of Thelma and Louise! Sat tutor Evie Gordon is flailing in her professional life but is faced with a greater obstacle when she arrives at her client Serena Victor's home to find a horrible murder. In a blink of an eye, Evie makes a decision and take the one remaining person in the house on the run from the killers and the police. Deitch ratchets up the tension as the two try to solve the murder and evade everyone - because they are now nationally known! A great debut!
#williammorrow #killerpotential #hannahdeitch

I loved the first 2/3 of this book but then felt like it lost momentum in the end. Deitch is a tremendous talent and this book is just bursting with great ideas and potential and talent and I honestly can't wait to see what she writes next. Thanks for the ARC!

This was an interesting book for me. Evie is a young woman who has coasted on her intelligence for years and currently employed as a SAT tutor for rich kids. One day, she goes to the house of a client and finds the parents dead. Stunned, she also stumbles upon a woman locked in a closet and bound. After that, all hell breaks loose.

Evie and the captive (who we later learn is named Jae) go on the run and many things happen as they evade the law. The book was entertaining for the most part, but I felt the end could’ve been better.

Thanks as always to NetGalley for the ARC.

Evie Gordon, a scholarship student with big dreams, finds herself drowning in debt after graduating from an elite university. One day, she stumbles upon a murder at a wealthy family's estate and becomes a fugitive, trying to clear her name and find the real killer. Along the way, she forms a deep connection with a mysterious woman who helps her navigate the chaos. As she is hunted by the authorities and labeled a killer in the media, Evie questions society's beliefs about social mobility and the stories we are told about our potential.

This book takes readers on a thrilling journey filled with dark humor and provocative twists. The story follows two unlikely fugitives - an SAT tutor who stumbles upon her wealthy employers brutally murdered, and the bound woman she rescues from their mansion.

Both main characters are incredibly likable, making it easy for readers to empathize with their situations. The unexpected twist of having a woman as the perpetrator of harm adds an intriguing layer to the story. The reveal towards the end of the book is expertly executed, leaving readers on the edge of their seats.

The constant twists and turns keep the reader engaged, creating a sense of suspense that is heightened by the road trip setting. The writing is captivating and well-crafted, making it impossible to put the book down.

For those who enjoy thought-provoking novels that blend humor with insightful social commentary, this book comes highly recommended. It is a gripping read that will keep you hooked until the very end.

Thank you, William Morrow for digital ARC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Evie Gordon is scholarship kid with straight As and big dreams, But after graduating from an elite university, she finds herself drowning in debt and working as an SAT tutor for the super-rich of Los Angeles. Everything changes one Sunday, when she arrives for her weekly lesson at the Victors’ Beverly Hills estate and, in lieu of a bored teenager, finds the bloody remains of the parents strewn through their beautiful back garden, and a woman crying for help within a closet. What follows is a page turner with unexpected twists and turns.

An SAT tutor finds herself a fugitive for a murder she didn’t commit in Hannah Deitch’s Killer Potential.

Evie is an overachiever who has been underperforming in the real world, making ends meet by tutoring wealthy kids. This all falls apart when she shows up for a tutoring session to find the parents murdered and a woman tied up in a closet. When they are mistakenly identified as the murderers, Evie finds herself on the run with the woman and they end up on a life-altering journey.

This is a unique and well-written debut. Having the main character falsely accused and on the run is a great setup for the rest of the book, and the tension between the two characters is palpable. However, it is bizarre the way Evie just rushes into being on the run with a stranger when she didn’t commit the murder, and the truth behind the murder takes a backseat to the relationship between the two women. As neither are particularly likable characters, it is a challenge to feel invested in them, and I struggled to finish. While not for me, this book will have an audience, as seen in the reviews.

I have to say that the title of the book if what got my attention and I am glad it did. Killer Potential was a great book. I am such a fan of true crime and this read like a podcast. Also, much to my surprise, the setting of this story took place in my home town and the areas surrounding it. This for sure added that extra star in my book. This book had a nice twist at the end which is rare since most thrillers follow the same pattern now and take away from the fun. This book did not disappoint.

why is Evie just accepting of this fate?? Just being like “okay sure I’ll go on the run with this tattered, potentially kidnapped girl who I know nothing about”??
• Evie just lets Jae sit in silence??? For days??? You know nothing about her and you just keep going?

This started off so strong and so crazy, and kept getting crazier, but there were a couple of things about the way it wrapped up that didn’t work well for me and that dragged my rating down a bit. But if you’re looking for a story of an unlikely pair on the run and how unhinged that can quickly get - kind of a Thelma and Louise situation - this book is a great pick.

I really liked the characters in this one and thought it was a good story for the most part. I struggled too much at the beginning of this book with my suspension of disbelief. I can see why others love this one though.

Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC!

4.5 ⭐

This fast paced mystery/thriller was so much fun to read. I loved the crazy turn of events and how things just seemed to snowball.

Evie is an SAT tutor for wealthy teens, when she shows up to one of her appointments and the door is ajar she wonders what's going on. When she discovers the parents dead she freaks out and goes to run but then hears someone begging for help. The last thing she expects to find is a woman tied up in the house. Things get crazy from there and Evie ends up on the run as a wanted suspected murderer.

Who is this mystery woman and what happened to her? Why was she tied up? Where did she come from? This quick witted book keeps you turning the paging and trying to guess what they could possibly do next. I really enjoyed this one!

Thanks to netgalley for a copy to enjoy.